That I couldn't do, even for
you."
CHAPTER XXI
Promises of that kind are easier to make than to keep. The captain
promised promptly enough, but the Fates were against him. He made it his
business to go to town the very next day and called upon his friend. He
found the young man in a curiously excited and optimistic frame of mind,
radically different from that of the past few months. The manuscript of
the novel was before him on the desk, also plenty of blank paper.
His fountain-pen was in his hand, although apparently, he had written
nothing that morning. But he was going to--oh, yes, he was going to! He
was feeling just in the mood. He had read his manuscript, and it was not
so bad; by George, some of the stuff was pretty good! And the end
was not so far off. Five or six chapters more and the thing would be
finished. He would have to secure a publisher, of course, but two had
already expressed an interest; and so on.
Captain Elisha drew his own conclusions. He judged that his niece's
letter had reached its destination. He did not mention it, however, nor
did Pearson. But when the captain hinted at the latter's running out to
the house to see him some time or other, the invitation was accepted.
"That's fine, Jim," declared the visitor.
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